Wedding Dress Storage

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, and you want to have the perfect dress for it.

Whether that’s a dress you purchase or one that has been passed down through the family, you want to feel like a princess on your special day.

But once the wedding is over, what do you do with your wedding dress?

Most people store it and pass it down, but you want to make sure it’s stored in the right way. Otherwise, it could become damaged.

Here are some tips to keep your wedding dress looking amazing.

Check the tag for proper cleaning instructions. Some wedding dresses are made from materials that are dry clean only. Some can be hand-washed, but always wash a small, unnoticeable area first to make sure you don’t damage the material. The label may list what kinds of cleaning solutions you can use on the dress. If you’re not sure, always ask the professionals at the shop where you purchased the dress.

Have your wedding dress cleaned as soon as you can after the wedding. It’s possible you got a small stain on it that you didn’t notice. Having the dress cleaned quickly will prevent that stain from setting. Make sure that the cleaner knows what materials your dress is made from and that they have the correct cleaning solvents and tools to properly do the job.

Do not store your wedding dress in a plastic bag or other garment bag, even if that’s what you’ve had it in. Plastic can emit certain fumes that may cause your dress to turn yellow over time. If any moisture is trapped within plastic, it can also cause the dress to mildew.

Are you going to have your wedding dress professionally boxed up or hung?

If you’re going to have it boxed, you’ll want to make certain that the cleaners know how to preserve wedding dresses. The box should be acid-free. Make certain it doesn’t just have an acid-free coating—that isn’t the same, and the coating won’t protect your dress for long. The dress itself needs to be padded with acid-free tissue. You don’t want the box to be sealed, either. You’ll need to take it out and rearrange it yearly so that the folds don’t develop permanent creases. This also gives you a chance to pull it out, look at it, and even put it on from time to time!

If you’ve had your dress professionally hung, you’ll also want to check on it regularly. It won’t need as much care as a boxed dress since there won’t be any creases. This means you don’t need to take it out of the packaging that often. However, you do want to make certain that the bag it’s in doesn’t contain any dye. You’ll also want to check that the hanger is padded. The bodice may need to be filled with acid-free tissue, and any dress that has fairly narrow straps or no straps may need some reinforcement to prevent it from breaking.

Remember that some stains don’t appear right away. For example, some drink stains may not appear until the area oxidizes over time. You’ll want to have the dress cleaned as soon as possible once you notice such a stain. Remember, the longer the stain sits, the harder it is to clean it. You’re likely to find these stains when you check the dress a year after your wedding.

Always wear cotton gloves when handling your dress so you don’t accidentally get it dirty or otherwise stain it.

Keep the dress in a cool area where the air is fairly dry. You don’t want it to be exposed to light, either. UV light can damage most material over time. You may want to place your dress in a climate-controlled storage unit or in an area near a dehumidifier.